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K Street gears up for Darrell Issa probes

Tony Podesta said he is increasing his oversight capacity at this firm. |
John Shinkle
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This uptick on K Street won’t be only because of Issa, though his committee is expected to have the most activity. Issa has vowed to investigate topics ranging from corruption in the Afghan government to WikiLeaks to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Other committees also plan to dive deep into the investigations pool. Committees like Ways and Means, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce and Appropriations are expected to launch into oversight this session.

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Usually, lobbyists are hired because of their extensive knowledge of an industry. But oversight investigations are a cottage industry unto themselves, and the best operators know the process inside and out.

“The firms that will benefit from this increased activity are the firms with people who know the tricks of the investigative trade and aren’t strangers to congressional inquiries or congressional testimony,” Marin said, echoing his pitch for Podesta. “There are tricks to this activity.”

And how to best prepare is a point of contention. Lobbying shops scoff at law firms that position themselves as the operators most useful for oversight — and vice versa.

The two fields provide different services to investigations clients. Marin said he counsels clients on strategy, including whether the inquiry is driven by politics or policy, how the lawmakers on the committee operate and how to frame issues for maximum effectiveness and the ins and outs of committee workings.

Law firms generally focus their efforts on more technical tasks — for example, helping clients navigate a hearing by narrowing document production, in addition to providing inside insight on the committee’s dynamics.

Paoletta, Dickstein Shapiro’s top congressional investigations attorney, was the Energy and Commerce Committee’s top investigative hand for nearly a decade, working under three GOP chairmen. Paoletta is joined by Andrew Snowdon, also a former Energy and Commerce investigative hand.

On the lobbying side, Podesta boasts Marin, who was the staff director on the oversight committee under former Chairman Tom Davis (R-Va.). Podesta also has Paul Brathwaite, who was a top Congressional Black Caucus aide to Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings, now the top Democrat on the oversight committee.

Some companies are even considering putting lawyers on retainer in Washington to avoid being caught off guard.

“I have been talking to several companies about the new Congress and the potential that there may be significant oversight activity,” said Paoletta. “Unfortunately, most companies, even really sophisticated companies, don’t focus on oversight until they have a letter from a chairman. And then it is zero to 60 in four seconds.”

This clown better not go down the wrong alley he might have to investigate his buddies or even himself. Same old game different players. Did we get fooled again? Have not heard anything about jobs lately have you?

Republican Darrell Issa - a former small-time criminal and now the richest man in the House of Representatives - is at it again. Using his post as the Chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee – Issa is asking the federal government to hand over the identities of every single American who has filed a Freedom of Information Act request. Issa claims he just wants the information to make sure the government is handling FOIA requests in a timely fashion. But considering the guy has already cozied up with big corporations – asking for their help in outlining what federal regulations he should attack – it should be troubling that he also wants the names of whistleblowers who may have targeted these same corporations in the past. Hundreds of thousands of journalists, former business executives, and regular citizens have filed Freedom of Information requests to uncover everything from the expanded influence of the military industrial complex to the delayed prosecution of rampant polluters of our environment. And now Issa – and his corporate buddies – want their names. This guy is on a mission to not only destroy the White House – but to also ensure that nobody stands in the way of corporations that want to continue violating pollution laws and taking advantage of their workers.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The Constitution says nothing about money changing hands in this process.

Lazercat2012, since your claim of what Issa has requested grossly overstates (and blatantly misrepresents) the scope and intent of what he's actually asked for (and which the Obama Administration is currently stonewalling him about), perhaps you could also provide some proof, rather than just allegations or claims, of "Republican Darrell Issa - a former small-time criminal and now the richest man in the House of Representatives - is at it again."

Former small-time criminal? Richest man in the House? Really? I didn't know that. So, something more than just your opinion, please.

How much does Dickstein Shapiro and Podesta pay Politico for you to pimp for them? Bad attempt at free advertising. I would be willing to bet that one of the authors of this story are best buds with these two firms and or their employees. Politico will be like the Washington Post and NY Times before you know. Bought and paid for by DC insiders. Silly silly silly story.

Hey Issa you better look to your own backyard--your boy Boehner is going to be exposed for sleeping with lobbyists and giving sweet rewards in return--he has ethics issues and that's where your investigating needs to start

All these useless partisan investigations will cost American companies hundreds of millions of dollars. I wonder how many jobs could have been saved or created with that money - if they didn't have to deal with Issa?

If Mubarak releases info about torturing for U.S. during Bush/Chaney regime, especially if he saved the kind of torture tapes that the CIA destroyed, that story will suck all the oxygen out of Issa's manufactured outrage.